Lady Blues’ loss tightens playoff race

VERNON— The chase to the Region 1 District 6 title got a lot tighter after the Graham High School Lady Blues fell to Vernon 5-2. Despite going into their final at bat down three runs, the Lady Blues seemed primed for a rally with two runners in scoring position and the tying run at the plate but a rain delay and untimely strikeouts ended any hope of victory. “We had a little bit of momentum going and we put them on the ropes a little bit,” Graham coach Philip Irby said. “It actually started before they delayed the game. One of the things we talk about is when we have runners at second and third is we have to have contact. One of the worst things to have is a strikeout and we struck out to get the first out of the inning. All of the momentum we gained by stealing and doing all of that we gave right back with a strikeout.” Irby said Tuesday’s game came down to a tumultuous second inning, when Vernon jumped out to a 3-0 lead, which not even a complete-game, nine strikeout performance by pitcher Emma Southerland could overcome. For the rest of this story, subscribe to our print or online edition.